Corn-sheller.



PATENTED JUNE 30, 1903.

ALH. PATCH. CORN SHBLLER.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 10. 1903.

NO MODEL.- I

TO UTHa, WASNINGTON, n. c.

UNITED STATES Patented June 30, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

CORN-SH-ELLER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 732,217, dated June 30, 1903.

Application filed January 10; 1903- Serial No. 138.567. (No model.)

To all whom it rmty concern; a

Be it known that I, ASAHEL HUNTINGTON PATCH, a citizen of the United States, residing at 'Clarksville, in the county of Montgomery and State of Tennessee, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Corn-Shellers; andIdo-hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to corn-shellers of that class in which the corn is rubbed from the cob by a toothed or roughened disk operating on the ear in connection with a suitable chute or frame Which holds the ear in place against the disk.

The invention is an improvement upon the machine illustrated and described in my former United States Letters Patent, No; 539,082, dated May 14, 1895; and it consists principally in pivotally or movably fastening the back part of the hopper to the front part and providing the latter with an arm or extension which bears against the disk hub or shaft at the rear and is held in position thereagainst by a spring which is provided with means for adjusting its tension, the objects of which are to simplify the construction of the machine and to provide improved means for yieldingly holding the coacting corn-shelling parts together and for adjusting the pressure between these parts.

In the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, and in which corresponding parts in the diiferent figures are indicated by like symbols of reference, Figure 1 is a front elevation of a corn-shelling machine having my improvement embodied therein. Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof. Fig. 3 is a central vertical cross-section looking toward the right or in the direction indicated by the arrows on line 3 3 of Fig. l; and Fig. MS a detail side view, partly in section, of a spring-fastening between the front and back parts of the hopper.

The machine illustrated is of the light handoperated style, such as is usually employed for farm and domestic purposes, and is adapted to be mounted on the upper edge of a box or receptacle for the shelled corn.

The letter A designates the main grinding and supporting frame, which may be secured to the grain-receptacle B by suitable clamps C.

The letter D denotes the toothed grain shelling or rubbing disk, the shaft E of which is journaled in a tubular bearing F, projecting from the front side of the frame, and has a crank G for rotating the disk. The frame is formed at one side of the center of the disk with the usual parti-cylindrical chute or guide for directing and controlling the ear of corn while it is subjected to the action of the disk, said chute having suitably-inclined or spirally-arranged openings or internal ribs which assist in turning the ear, retard its downward passage, and aid in removing any grains that may adhere to the cob. The upper part of the chute (designated by the letter H) is of large diameter, extends slightly above the top of the disk, and constitutes the front part of the hopper for receiving the ear of corn, while the lower part (indicated by the'letter I) is of lesser diameter and stands opposite the front or toothed face of the disk. The

frame also has at its lower portion an inclined chute J, against the base of which the cob abutson its downward movement, so that as the butt-end of the cob is carried laterally under the axis of the disk the cob will be turned at an angle and carried up the chute and ejected from the opposite side of the machine or through an opening K therefor in the upper portion of the frame.

The parts thus far described are similar to those shown and described in my aforesaid Letters Patent, save that the upper portion of the frame A is extended so as to cover the whole upper half of the disk except at the cobejecting opening K, thus forming a shield to prevent the grains from scattering. It will be understood, however, that the machine as a whole may be of any suitable construction, my improvement being applicable to any machine of this same general character.

The letter L denotes the back part of the hopper, which consists of a concave or particylindrical plate. This plate has a laterallyprojecting pin M at its side farther from the axis of the disk, which is pivoted in a suitable opening or socket in the front part H of the hopper, and has also a pin N on its face at the opposite side which fits in an' opening or socket therefor in the front hopper mem- ICO her I-I. Said plate has also a depending arm or extension 0, the lower end of which is preferably rounded and bears against the hub of the disk or the rear end of the disk-shaft. The bearing-surfaces of said arm and hub may be chilled for long wear. A bolt P is entered through the plate L and the frame A, near the pin N, and is provided with an adjusting-nut Q, which is screwed on said bolt against resistance of a stout coiled spring S. As shown, the bolt-head engages the plate and the spring is interposed between the nut and frame, its ends fitting or inclosing, respectively, a boss on the frame and a boss or tubular part of a washer R, which serves as a bearing for the adjusting-nut; but the arrangement and details of this fastening device may of course be changed. The lower bearing of the arm 0 is thus held against the shaft with a yielding pressure to compensate for cars of different sizes, and by means of the adjusting-nut the tension may be regulated or varied to secure the required pressure between the cooperating shelling parts to separate thoroughly the grains from the cob. The construction is simple and inexpensive and permits of ready detachment of the back part of the hopper and fastening device without affecting the principal parts of the machine. Furthermore, the plate L is pivoted in substantially the plane of the disk, whereby a direct bearing of the lower end of the arm on the hub of the disk is attained.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. In a corn-sheller, the combination of a toothed disk and a main frame having a suitable guide for the ear of corn, said disk having a shaft projecting from its toothed face and journaled in a bearing therefor in said frame,the upper portion of said guide extending above the disk and constituting the front part of a hopper for introducing the car, a rear hopper part pivotally secured to said front part and having a depending arm which bears against the disk-hub at the rear, and a spring holding said arm thereagainst, whereby the coacting disk and guide are yieldingly held together, substantially as described.

2. In a corn-sheller, the combination of a toothed disk and a main frame having a suitable guide for the ear of corn, said disk having a shaft projecting from its toothed face and journaled in a bearing therefor in said frame, the upper portion of said guide extending above the-disk and constituting the front part of a hopper for introducing the ear, a rear hopper part pivoted to the front part at the farther side from the axis of the disk and having a depending arm which bears against the rear of the disk-hub, and a fastening-bolt entered through the opposite side of said plate or rear hopper part and the frame, an adjusting-nut screwed thereon, and an interposed stout coiled spring resisting said nut, thus holding the coacting disk and guide yieldingly together, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ASAllEL HUNTINGTON PA'lCll.

Witnesses:

B. A. PATCH, A. C. BUROHETT. 

